A Cosmist Manifesto: Practical Philosophy for the Posthuman Age [Paperback]

Ben Goertzel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 9, 2010

The term Cosmism was introduced by Tsiolokovsky and other Russian Cosmists around 1900. Goertzel's "Cosmist Manifesto" gives it new life and a new twist for the 21st century. Cosmism, as Goertzel presents it, is a practical philosophy for the posthuman era. Rooted in Western and Eastern philosophy as well as modern technology and science, it is a way of understanding ourselves and our universe that makes sense now, and will keep on making sense as advanced technology exerts its transformative impact as the future unfolds. Among the many topics considered are AI, nanotechnology, uploading, immortality, psychedelics, meditation, future social structures, psi phenomena, alien and cetacean intelligence and the Singularity. The Cosmist perspective is shown to make plain old common sense of even the wildest future possibilities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Ben Goertzel, a research scientist working on various futuristic technologies including artificial general intelligence and life extension, is also CEO of tech consulting firms Novamente LLC and Biomind LLC. He lives in Maryland with multiple children and animals, and his doings are linked online via http://goertzel.org

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Humanity+ (July 9, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984609709
• ISBN-13: 978-0984609703
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #621,973 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is exactly what it says it is., September 11, 2010

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Peter H. Christiansen - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Cosmist Manifesto: Practical Philosophy for the Posthuman Age (Paperback)

If you are new to or investigating transhumanism, cryonics, life extention, etc, this book may not be the best place to start. If are already involved transhumanism, cryonics, life extention, etc,, this is THE book for you.

This is truly a seminal book. Dare I say Dr. Goertzel has written the transhumanist or cosmist "bible", with concise, thoughtful, well reasoned discussions of the many issues that confront us as transhumanists in our day-to-day living.

He suggests that "life's purpose" will continue to be - joy, growrh and freedom, and that many of the philosophical issues that confront us can only be resolved by "obsoleting the problem."

Very well written, it offers pleasurable but deeply profound reading, in the spirit of Bucky Fuller, RCW Ettinger, Alan Harrington, FM 2030 and Ray Kurzweil.

Great job Dr. Goertzel! Thank you